Always
by DataAndrd
Summary: Neelix must say a difficult goodbye to his goddaughter, Naomi Wildman


**STAR TREK: VOYAGER**  
**"ALWAYS"**

Set at the end of the episode "Homestead"

"You wouldn't be interested, would you?" Captain Janeway asked quietly.

Sitting across from her in the darkened mess hall, Neelix blinked, scarcely able to believe what he was hearing. It was as though she had, somehow, been reading his mind. He had been torn over his growing feelings for Dexa & Brax, living on the Talaxian settlement back in the asteroid field, and the loyalty he felt towards the ship and crew that would soon be leaving them behind forever; the ship that had been his home for the last seven years, and the crew that had become his family. It had seemed an impossible choice… until now. The woman he proudly called his Captain had given him the answer he sought. By agreeing to become Starfleet's permanent ambassador to the Delta Quadrant, he could stay with Dexa & Brax, and still stay in touch with his family aboard _Voyager_ as well. It would be the best of both worlds.

Overcome by emotion, Neelix could only smile back at Captain Janeway, tears of gratitude welling in his eyes.

* * *

The next morning, in his quarters, Neelix found himself trying his best to pack seven years of living into the small luggage he planned to take with him. It was no easy task. There were so many keepsakes and souvenirs he wanted to take with him, but he knew he had very little room.

As he was cleaning out his dresser drawers, however, Neelix discovered something unexpected. Partially hidden in the back of one of the drawers, once hidden by his clothes, he found a small blue doll. He recognized it immediately. It was a doll he had once made for his god daughter, Naomi Wildman, of her favorite holodeck character, Flotter. Gently lifting the doll from its hiding place, Neelix felt a wave of sadness wash over him as the memories returned…

Naomi's mother, Ensign Samantha Wildman, had nearly been killed when the _Delta Flyer_ crashed on a distant planetoid. To distract Naomi while _Voyager_'s crew struggled to rescue her mother and the others on the _Flyer_, Neelix had taken her to the holodeck and played for her the educational holostories known as 'The Adventures of Flotter'.

During one of the stories, 'Flotter, Trevis and the Ogre of Fire', Flotter – who represented water - had evaporated. Hoping to cheer Naomi up, Neelix had Ensign Harry Kim replicate a doll of Flotter for her. The always intelligent young half-Ktarian had already done some research into evaporation and discovered what had really happened to Flotter, however. When she turned down his offer of the doll, Neelix had decided to keep it for himself, a reminder of the wonderful young woman he was honored to call his goddaughter.

_Naomi…_

Wiping away his tears with the sleeve of his shirt, Neelix slipped the doll into his pocket and got to his feet. He honestly wasn't sure what he was going to say to her, but he knew he had to try. Naomi was too important to him. He wanted her to understand why he was leaving… and he wanted to say goodbye to her face-to-face.

* * *

A few minutes later, Neelix arrived outside the quarters Naomi shared with her mother. This, he knew, was going to be one of the hardest things he'd ever have to do. Taking a deep breath, he reached out and pressed the chime button beside the door.

"Come in!" a young voice called out. The doors slid open and Neelix walked quietly inside. He found Naomi standing beside her bed, packing her things for school that day. At first he thought it unusual for her to be getting ready to leave so soon, but then he remembered Naomi telling him she had to be up early, when they'd talked the night before.

"Hi," he said simply. Naomi looked up from her packing.

"Neelix! Is everything okay?"

"Certainly!" Neelix lied. "I, uh… I just wanted to see how you were doing." Naomi frowned.

"Neelix, you were just here last night."

"Oh, is there some rule that says I can't visit my god daughter two days in a row?" He tried to act like he was in his usual jovial mood, but he knew he didn't sound very convincing.

"You sound funny, Neelix… is something wrong?" Naomi asked. Neelix sighed. So much for trying to do this the easy way… if there even was such a thing.

"I need to talk to you, Naomi," he said, unconsciously clenching his hands into fists.

"I can't right now, Neelix… I have to get to school…"

"Please, Naomi," Neelix whispered. "There won't be time later."

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because…" Neelix swallowed. "…because I'm leaving _Voyager_." Already turning to leave, Naomi froze in her tracks.

"W-what?" She turned back to face her godfather. "That's not funny, Neelix!"

"I'm not joking, Naomi." He watched his goddaughter blink back tears.

"Why?" she managed.

"Do you remember Dexa and Brax?" Neelix asked her. Naomi nodded.

"Sure… they were your Talaxian friends," she answered. "From the asteroid field."

"More than friends," Neelix replied softly. "I love them... like the family I've never had."

"You already _have_ a family!" Naomi cried out angrily, tears streaming down her face. "Right here, on _Voyager_!"

"I know," Neelix said gently, reaching out to rest a hand on his god daughter's shoulder. "I'll never forget all the wonderful things I've experienced here, or the people I've been privileged to call my family." A terrible thought suddenly occurred to him.

"Naomi… you don't think I'm going to forget you, do you?" When Naomi didn't answer, Neelix knew he'd been right. Reaching out, he gently placed a finger under her

chin and slowly lifted her face to him. His heart ached to see the terrible sadness there.

"You're my goddaughter, Naomi… I'll _never_ forget you!" He swallowed back the painful lump in his throat.

"I love you," he said simply. Her face wet with tears, Naomi threw her arms around her beloved godfather and squeezed him in a hug. They were silent for a long moment.

"Then why do you want to leave?" Naomi suddenly demanded, still angry. Neelix struggled to find an answer she would understand.

"If you had to leave _Voyager_, to stay with your mother, would you do it?" he asked softly. Naomi looked up at Neelix, sniffling. Understanding began to dawn in her eyes.

"You love them that much?" she asked. Neelix nodded.

"Very much," he said, "Both of them."

"Then you should be with them," she said quietly. She fought back another sob.

"I'm really going to miss you, though." Neelix gently stroked her hair.

"You know," he told his goddaughter, "Captain Janeway has offered me the position of Starfleet's permanent ambassador to the Delta Quadrant. I'll be expected to stay in constant contact with _Voyager_…" He looked down at Naomi and smiled, brushing away her tears.

"You're going to be hearing from me so much, you'll get sick of me!" Naomi laughed.

"No, I won't," she told him. "Not ever." She squeezed him in another hug.

"I love you too, Neelix," Naomi whispered. Blinking back the tears that now threatened to spill from his own eyes, Neelix hugged her back.

"It won't be the same without you here," Naomi said sadly. Neelix tried to think of something to say.

"I want you to have something," he said suddenly. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the Flotter doll.

"Do you remember this?" he asked. Naomi blinked, surprised.

"You still have that?"

"You'd be surprised at the things that wind up in the hands of an old trader like me," Neelix replied, smiling.

"I know you're probably too old for dolls now, but look at it this way: as long as you have that doll, it'll be like I'm right here with you." Wrapping her hand tightly around the doll, Naomi hugged her godfather again. Neelix returned the hug for as long as he could. Then, reluctantly, he willed himself to let go.

"I have to go now, Naomi… I have to finish getting ready. Will you do one more thing for me?"

"What?" she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Come see me off when I leave?" Naomi smiled.

"I'll be there; I promise."

"Then I'll see you later… and Naomi?"

"Yes?"

"Remember I'll always be with you… always."


End file.
